Lithographic transfer and printing press and printing-form.



. No. 637,562. Patented Nov. '2l, I899.

E. HETT.

LITHDGRAPHIG TRANSFER AND PRINTING PRESS AND PRINTING FORM.

(Application filed Fab. 7, 1895.)

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LITHOGRAPHIC TRANSFER AND PRINTING PRESS AND PRINTING FDRNI.

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Patented Nov. 2I., I899.

E. HETT.

LITHOGRAPHIC TRANSFER AND PRINTING PRESS AND PRINTING FORM.

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(No Model.)

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Nrrnn ST TES EDWARD HETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LITHOGRAPHIC TRANSFER AND PRINTING PRESS AND PRINTING-FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 637,562, dated November 21, 1899.

Application filed February 7, 1895. Serial No. 537,582- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, (New Dorp,) in the county of Richmond and State ofNeW York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lithographic Transfer and Printing Presses and Printing- Forms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description and specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof.

My invention relates to the construction and combinations of printing forms or surfaces which are to be used to receive and print pictures or designs by the lithographic process, meaning by that the well-known process of the practical arts inwhich the picture or design is transferred to the surface of the printing-form, the printing-ink is repeatedly taken up thereon, and the impressions of the picture or design as repeatedly printed therefrom, all on the basis of the mutually-repellent action of water and of greasy ink toward each other and the prior and so exclusive possession of parts of the printing-surface by the one and of the remaining parts by the other.

The objects of my invention are to make possible and practicable the methods of ap,-' proximately simultaneous and substantially continuous printing of many colors for one picture in the art of lithographic printing, to enable the necessary designs to be accurately transferred to a series of printing-surfaces, and conveniently and economically, to permit the perfectly accurate and registering and economical and rapid printing of the successive superimposed impressions upon paper or suitable material, to simplify the methods and the constructions throughout, and generally to make the manipulations and the operations of lithographic transferring and of lithographic printing more accurate, more convenient, more satisfactory, and more economical.

My invention consists of the novel combinations and devices herein shown and de scribed and hereinafter more particularly claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in one form of its application.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the printing-form before the design has been applied to the surface. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same in position upona form-supporting cylinder and after the design to be printed has been transferred to its surface. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken through the axis of the device shown in Fig.2. Fig. A is an end view with the lower half of the head broken away. Fig. 5 is a View of the inner face of the head. Fig. 6 is acrosssection of the printing-form and supporting device. Fig. 7 is a View of the other end from that of Fig. 4, showing the clamps by means of which the form is clamped on its support. Fig. Sis a detail view of this clamping device. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the printing-form and supporting device, the same being mounted in a transfer-press in position to have the design transferred to its surface. Fig. 10 is a similar view of the printing form with its supporting device mounted in the printing-press ready to do its work of printing. Fig. 11 is a partial sectional View of the printing-press, showing a part of the series of printing-forms and supporting devices in place therein.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the different figures.

The general form of printing-press and of transfer-press shown in the drawings is the same as I have described and claimed in my applications previously filed and which are respectively numbered as follows: Serial Nos. 518,015 and 531,918.

Referring to the drawings, a is the tubular printing-form. As shown, it is a cylindrical tube, although its form or shape may greatly vary. As shown, this cylindrical tube is made of solid zinc by a casting process. may, however, be made of other material or composition suitable for printing by the lithographic process, and it may be made by other processes than that of casting. As shown, the printing-surface is continuous or unbroken and is adapted to receive the-desired design after the lithographic manner and to print the same in the most favorable manner. Thiscylindrical printing-tube when made of zinc or similar material after being cast or formed is compressed, so as to make its material compact and to remove anydefects there may be in its surface. This can be done by passing the tube through suitable dies or pressure-rollers. The construction of these dies or rollers will not differ from the construction of dies and rollers ordinarily employed in drawing and shaping metal tubing. The tube is then subjected to a turning process in any suitable lathe or device and is thus reduced to the exact size and dimensions required and so made of a shape and of dimensions permanently fixed, so as to permanently adapt the form to the cooperating parts of the press, and is given a smooth and perfect finish. The surface of any tube is then prepared in the usual manner, as by being submitted to the sand-blast process or any other suitable process to give it the grain such as is used in lithographic printing.

1) is the form-supporting device for supporting or carrying the printing-form a. This supporting device may be greatly varied in form and construction and position and character. As shown, it consists of a cylindrical portion 0, provided with two heads d and 6, one at each end, which are suitably fastened to the cylindrical portion 0. These heads are shown as being bolted to the cylinderc. These heads are provided with hubs ff, which are bored so as to receive the shaft 9 of the transfer-press. The cylinder 0 is provided with two longitudinal grooves 7t 71, and the printing-tube a is provided with the projections fit 2', which are adapted to fit the grooves h h and to slide therein. The printing-tube a is applied to its supporting device by inserting the ends of the projecting portions 6 z' in the grooves h h and then slipping the tube upon the supportingcylinder. The relative positions of the printing-tube and of the supporting-cylinder in a circumferential direction around the axis of the supporting-cylinder are thereby fixed and maintained. The head d is provided with a projecting shoulder j, which acts as a stop to regulate the relative positions of the printing-tube and supporting-cylinder in an axial or longitudinal direction. Guiding means are thus provided whereby when the tube a has been slid upon the cylinder 0 and has been forced snugly against the shoulderj its position upon the supporting-cylinder is necessarily and positively regulated both eircumferentially and longitudinally. Any other form of guiding means suitable for this purpose may be used. This regulation is of great importance in securing an accurate transfer of the desired design to the surface of the tube a and the accurate printing of the same in the printingpress. After the tube a has been slipped upon the supporting-cylinder it is clamped in position by the clamps 7t 7t,which are attached to the head 0. The construction of these clamps is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The clamps are made to turn on the bolts Z Z. These bolts are screwed into the head 6. The swinging end of each clamp is provided with a pin m, adapted to project into a hole 11 in the head 6 'when the clamp is turned, so as to hold the printing-tube in place. The pin on is pressed into this hole by means of a coiled spring 0. (Shown in Fig. 8.) When the printing-tube is to be removed from the supporting-cylinder, the pin m is drawn out from the hole n and the clamp is swung on the bolt 1 until it no longer projects beyond the end of the tube a. The tube can then be removed. After the tube has been placed on the supportingeylinder the clamp is thrown back into its original position, the spring 0 operating to force the pin m into the hole at, and thus fixing the clamp in place. It will of course be understood that the devices for clamping the tube on its supporting device may be greatly varied. In the construction shown in the drawings the supporting device cis provided with internal longitudinal ribs (shown in Fig. 6) in order to strengthen it, and the inner ends of the heads d and e are shaped to fit these ribs or projections, as shown in Fig. 5. These ribs are not, however, essential.

In Fig. 9 the printing-cylinder aand its supporting device I) are shown as mounted in the transfer-press, in which a is the reciprocating bed, carrying the setting-up plate and constituting the impression-surface and supporting and transferring the design to the printingtube. After the planographic surface of the printing-tn be has been properly prepared and the tube placed upon the supporting device and clamped in position the supporting device is slipped upon the shaft g of the transfer-press. This shaft is mounted in the transfer-press so as to be removable therefrom, as is fully explained in my former application above referred to. To that end it is carried in sliding boxes 8 s, which are carried by and removably attached to pressure-bars t f. To remove the parts, unscrew the nut on the outer end of each pressure-bar and by suitable mechanism lift the shaft and boxes up out of the slideways and slip off one of the boxes. The supporting device I) is removably fastened to the shaft g, and its place upon that shaft is accurately fixed by any suitable means, such as the keys 1) 19, (shown in Fig. 0,) which fit into the grooves or slots in the shaft g and also in the hubs ff of the supporting-cylinder. As shown in Fig. 9, the form or printing-cylinder is provided at its ends with gear-wheels, which are fastened to the hubs of the cylinder in any suitable manner. The gear-wheel at the end of the cylinder which bears the clamping devices is removably attached to the cylinder, so that it can be taken off from its hub when it is desired to remove the printing-tube a.

The design or transfer upon the face of the setting-up plate on the bed to is transferred by contact and pressure to the prepared planographic surface of the printing-tube after the manner of lithographic transferring. \Vhen the desired design has been transferred to the surface of the printing-tube in the transferpress, that surface is suitably prepared as a printing-surface and is ready to do its work of printing. Thisdevelopment may be carried on and accomplished while the printingtube is still mounted in the transfer-press and by aid of some of the devices of that press.

When the development into a printing-surface is completed, the supporting device and printing-tube are removed from the transfer. press, as stated above, and the tube is slipped off from its supporting device and may be taken at once to the printing-press, Where it is slipped onto another supporting device q, constructed in the same manner as b. This supporting device q is mounted upona shaft 7' in the printing-press, as fully shown in the lithographic-printing press of Figs. 10 and 11, in which the same letters indicate similar parts, as in Fig. 9, and in which 1: is the impression surface or drum. The position of the printing-tube on the device q is regulated and fixed in the same manner as on the supporting device bnamely, by means of the longitudinal grooves, as shown, and a shoulder or stop at one end of the device q, and clamping devices at the other end. The device qis fastened in a predetermined and fixed position on the shaft 0" by any suitable means. The printing-tube is now in position to do its work of printing. After the printing has been accomplished the tube is removed from its supporting device in the printing-press and can be filed away or kept in store until it is used again, or the design can be removed from the tube by suitable chemicals and the tube will then be ready for receiving another design on its surface.

In Fig. 11 I have shown my improved printing-forms and supporting devices applied to a multicolor lithographic printing press such as is described and claimed by me in the former application above referred to. Here there are a series of the exterior printing forms or tubes a, (three of the'fifteen being shown,) and a series of the interior form-supporting devices q, and a series of groups of inking-rollers w, and a series of groups of dampening-rollers x, and a paper-carrying impression surface or drum 1;, and driving mechanism for the whole, and the interior form-supportin g devices q are removable from. and replaceable in the press, as in the case of Fig. 9, and each printing-form is removable from and replaceable on its supporting device, and, as shown, the outer printing-surface of the printing-forms is rounded and is circumferentially continuous, and the forms, when the press is in operation, print continuously and simultaneously, and from the point of view of any one portion of the surface of the paper the printing-forms print in series and approximately simultaneously and without drying intervals between the successive printings upon one and the same picture by the several printing-forms of the series. Each printing-form of the series is supposed to print a different color from any other form of the series. The great economies introduced into lithographic printing by this method of multicolor-printing now for the first time made possible and practicable and to which the present invention is practically essential are such as to revolutionize that art.

Heretofore in the practical art of lithographic printing flat surfaces have almost exclusively been employed as the printing-surfaces. It has been suggested to use cylinders of stone orsolid cylinders of iron or of plasterof-paris permanently covered with a non-removable exterior layer of zinc and to bend zinc sheets around curved surfaces, although,

curved supporting device and fasten it there and print from it in such bended condition involves such delicate and difficult work in nnderlaying, so as to print evenly, and requires so much time and skill in obtaining and maintaining proper register, so as to print accurately, thatitis an impracticable method, and yet the end soughtnamely, continuous and simultaneous multicolor-printing in a multifold rotary pressis of transcendent importance. It has always been deemed necessary to have great body and solidity in a lithographic-printing surface for the operation of printing, not only because of the heavy pressuresinvolved, but also and rather because of the fine and delicate nature of the work and its characteristic as a printing from a plain or fiat surface-2'. e., unbroken by intaglio or relief-which forbids bending or giving way in places and demands even and steady and equal and flat pressure everywhere, best typified by the smooth flat face of a thick solid inelastic stone. This may account for the fact that the suggestions looking toward the use of cylindrical printing-surfaces in lithography have been for the employment of heavy, cumbersome, and practically solid cylinders either of stone, plaster-of-paris and zinc or iron and zinc. A cylindrical stone whether hollow or solid is thick and heavy and cumbersome, and, moreover, itis made in pieces cemented together. This breaks the continuity of the surface. The surface of my tubular lithographic-printing forms is continuous or unbroken in the best form known to me. This enables any and all parts of that surface to be used indifferently in the lithographic transferring and preparing and printing Work with equal advantage. Where there are scams or joints in a lithographic-printing surface theyare not only difficult to make in the first place, but they are a source of constant and serious trouble. They are likely to become worn and rough, and thus to mar the work, which is exceedingly sensitive to such disturbances, and if the design extends over these joints the transferring and preparing and printing are likelyto be imperfect at that place and to increasingly become so as the printing proceeds. These difficulties are overcome by my invention. Cylindrical stones when they have been used once require to be ground off before they can be used a second time. This renders their use in a rotary press impracticable, as it would involve a readjustment of the machinery of the press for every new diameter of the stone and would be prohibitive of multicolor work in a multicolorpress, for register could not be obtained twice alike. The cost of cylindrical stones for lithographic work would be very much greater than the cost of my tubular printing-forms, and their weight and the expense and difficulty and danger of handling and manipulating and running them would be very much greater.

In the use of stones for lithographic-printing purposes, whether flat or cylindrical,there is necessarily a great waste of capital in the idle and useless masses of stone that lie underneath the surface and great waste of labor and power in the necessary handling of these heavy masses. My improved tubular printing-forms are constructed with the minimum of weight consistent with safety in handling and consistent with the inflexibility necessary to secure integrity in transferring and printing. In the latter operations they are carried and supported by inner supporting devices. Myimproved printing-for ms are therefore cheap to make and light and easy to transport and. handle and operate, whereby great saving is effected. Many efforts have been made to substitute in practical lithographic work comparatively thin fiat lithographic surfaces, sueh as flat zinc sheets, for the fiat stones commonly employed; but these efforts have not met with much success. A solid backing is of course required in the transferring and printing operations, such as an iron plate, and difficulty has been found in practice in securing the zinc sheet to this iron plate, the zinc sheet wearing away where it is constantly fastened and unfastened and stretching irregularly and shrinking, so that it will not lie absolutely fiat on the iron plate and cannot be made to do so either by stretching or compressing. Moreover, such thin sheets crinkle in handling and show lines and spots and creases and other defects in the printing and are hard to preserve and to keep clean and to handle, and if the iron backing-plates are to be handled with them, so as to keep them always in form, the expense and inconvenience become prohibitive. Zinc as a lithographic surface is especially sensitive in the directions indicated.

My improved tubular printing form must be substantial enough to be inflexible and so to maintain its integrity and the integrity of the design upon it under the pressures exerted by its supporting device on the one side and the paper-carrying or transfer-carrying impression surface or bed on the other side and substantial enough to be handled on and off the presses without danger of tlexure or distortion. In this latter connection its archlike shape when rounded in form gives it a maximum of strength for a minimum of Weight. Up to the limits referred to the printing-tube should be as light as possible and so should be thin. I have found a total thickness of onequarter of an inch to bebest where the tube is an inner shell of copper with an outer part of zinc. Such a tube, for instance, may be forty-three inches long and twenty-nine and one-half inches in circumference and, if so, would weigh about ninetyfive pounds. A cylindrical stone with equal working surface would weigh about three hundred pounds and a flat stone with equal surface would weigh about five hundred pounds. As a general rule the larger the printing-surface the more economical the work; but the larger the flat stone surface the greater is the disproportion between its Weight and that of my hollow printing form or tube. As the printing-tubes are made separate and are adapted to be applied to and removed from the supporting devices only a comparatively small number of supporting devices are necessary. The transfer-press is provided with one or more supporting devices and the printing-press is provided with the requisite number for the colors to be printed. \Vhen a new design or designs are to be printed, the same supporting devices are used, the only parts which need to be changed being the printing-tubes themselves. Great economy is secured in this way.

My invention also has the advantage of securing an accurate register between the several printing-surfaces used in the multicolorprinting press. The supporting devices or cylinders in the printing-press can be so constructed and arranged as to keep the same relative positions in the printing-press without having to be readjusted for each new design that is printed. By means of the present improvement the printing-forms are accurately made of a shape and of dimensions permanently fixed,so as to permanently adapt the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and are accurately placed and securely held in place upon the form-supporting devices, and this is done quickly and easily. Hence the printing of each printing-form in the machine when the transfers are properly made will accurately and uniformly register with the printing of the other printing-forms. It is also apparent that the construction of my improved printing-form is comparativelysimple, and that it can be easily and quickly prepared and operated, and that it is certain and secure in its operation.

My improved hollow printing-tube instead of being made entirely of zinc or other material could be made of an inner shell of any suitable material having the requisite strength, provided that the outer surface is planographic and is made of zinc or other material suitable for lithographic transferring or printing. The resulting composite printing-tube has important advantages peculiar to itself. It is also apparent that my improved printing-tube may be made of different thicknesses at different points if this is thought to be desirable. It is also apparent that the improved printing-tube need not be cylindrical on the outer or printing surface.

It might, for instance, be oval instead of cylindrical in cross section or polygonal or otherwise shaped so long as it is a suitably-inflexible form reliably maintaining its integrity of shape whether off or on its supporting devices. In the best form known to me it is rounded and circumferentially-continuous and developed into a lithographic-printing surface, so as to print by the rolling contact with an impression-surface of a substantially continuous or unbroken lithographicprinting surface; but for the purposes of some of the claims the printing-surface need not be continuous or unbroken.

I am aware that in the art of calico and wall-paper printing where the printing-surface is permanently engraved or cut into or otherwise depressed in intaglio it has been suggested to employ more shells of copper for the printing-surface supported upon mandrels; but such shells would not be suitable for lithographic work, either lithographic transferring or lithographic printing. They do not have the peculiar surface required for the lithographic process. Oalico'and wallpaper printing are substantially distinct arts from lithography, with different needs and requirements and presenting different problems and conditions. -In them the printingsurface in its preparation is cut into in intaglio or is raised in relief. The printing is achieved by the differences in level between different parts of the printing-surface. The whole process is mechanical. Again, when the printing is completed the copper shell is thrown away or is cast into the melting-pot. It cannot be used for a different design. The lithographic art involves a chemical or chemicophysical action. It prints by virtue of that chemical or chemicophysical action. It requires a peculiar surface to bring about the elemental actions involved. The mutually-repellent action of grease and water and the accident, so to speak, of prior possession of the surface, determines and accomplishes the ink distribution and so the printing. To attain this prior possession a prior process (transferring) is required, equally important with the act of printing itself. Pressures are involved in the transferring as well as and equally as in the printing, and a handling of the surfaces between the operations and during the operations and during the preparations for the same is necessary. The lithographic art is relatively delicate and the printing-surfaces are relatively sensitive and subject to dangers and limitations that would not affect engraved plates. A lithographic surface may have the design removed and another transferred to it, and so may be used indefinitely. Again, the removability of the engraved copper shells in calico-printingis to enable the mandrel to be used again not to enable the copper shell itself to be used again. The copper shell may therefore be injured or destroyed for further use in the removal so long as the mandrel is notinjured. The removability of the printing-form from the supporting device in my invention (as, for example, in the transfer-press) is such as leaves the printing-form itself, as well as the supporting device, uninjured and ready for further and interchangeable use, (as, for example, in the printing-press.) It is a functional and useful removability and not a destructive removability. Moreover, the use of engraved copper shells for years in the art of calico and wall-paper printing did not present the difliculties peculiar to or suggest the solution of the problem in lithographic printing of producing a circumferentiallycontinuous rounded lithographic surface that would be practicable in use and adapted for multicolor-printing in register and cont-inuously. Absence of seam or joining or break from the printing-surface is not so important in the art of intaglio or type printing as in the art of lithographic printing and the presence of such features does not produce the same difficulties. Levelness and smoothness is all that is required at a joint or seam in the former case, whereas in the latter case mere levelness and smoothness will not suffice. The cellular structure may vary at a joint or seam, which will injure the surface for lithographic-printing purposes, although not for relief orintaglio printing. For lithographic purposes the surface should be continuous not only in levelness and smoothness, (which are mere mechanical features,) but also in characterin that peculiar character which permits and causes the necessary elemental actions to proceed equally and similarly on all parts of the printing-surface. A break or end or edge in the printing-surface tends to create and produce false tints at that point in lithographic printing, which once started tend to spread inward from the end or edge and to spoil the plate, whereas there is no such tendency in either intaglio or type printing. Again the engraved copper shell under consideration is used for but one design. WVhen that is printed, the shell must be destroyed as a shell, because the engraving for one design necessarily ends its usefulness forany other design. My improved lithographic-printing form, however, may be used for many successive printing operations; whereforethe absolute continuity of its surface, permitting the placing of each new design upon its surface at any desired point quite regardless of where the earlier designs had been placed, introduces a new function and utility. Moreover, in multicolor lithographic printing on the rotary-press principle my improved printing forms having outer rounded printing-surfaces that are continuous or unbroken permit the indifferent selection of any one of them for any one of the series of colors and for-any one of the series of positions around the common impression-drum, register being attained without reference to and without being complicated by any beginning or end or break in the printing-surface. The presence of any such beginning or end or break in the printingsurface would practically require that every printing-form should be made or constructed for a particular position in the series of positions for printing-surfaces around the main drum, every different position in that case requiring a diiferently-constructed printingsurface in so far as concerns the circumferential position of such supposed beginning or end or break, to the end that register might be obtained. Thus another new function and advantage is introduced by my improvements.

VVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device and an inflexible removable and replaceable hollow lithographic-printing form having an outer surface adapted to receive a lithographic drawing or transfer, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a lithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device and a removable and replaceable tubular lithographic-printing form, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a lithographic press, the combination of an interior form-supporting device and an exterior removable and replaceable rounded tubular lithographic-printing form, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a lithographic press, the combination of an interior form-supporting device and an exterior removable and replaceable cylindrical lithographic-printing form, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. Inalithographic-printing press,the combination, with suitable impression surface or surfaces, and suitable inking and dampening mechanisms, of a series of form-supporting devices and a series of tubular lithographicprinting forms, carried by and removable from and replaceable on the form-supporting devices, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

(5. In a lithographic-printing press,the combination, with a main impressimrdrum, and suitable inking and dampening mechanisms, of a series of interior form-supporting devices arranged on the impression-face of the drum and removable from and replaceable in the press, and a series of exterior tubular lithographic-printing forms, carried by and removable from and replaceable on the form-supporting devices, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In alithographic-printingpress,the combination, with suitable impression surface or surfaces, and suitable inking and dampening mechanisms, of a series of form-supporting devices and a series of tubular lithographicprinting forms, carried by and removable from and interchangeably replaceable on the form-supporting devices, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. Inalithographic-printingpress,thecombination, with a main impression-drum, and suitable inking and dampening mechanisms, of a series of interior form-supporting devices arranged on the impression-face of the drum and removable from and replaceable in the press, andaseries of exterior cylindrical lithographic-printing forms,carried by and removable from and replaceable on the form-supporting devices, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a lithographic press, the combination of an interior hollow form-supporting device and an inflexible exterior removable and replaceable hollow lithographic-printing form having an outer surface adapted to receive a lithographic drawing or transfer, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a lithographic-printing press, the combination,with suitable impression surface or surfaces, and suitable inking and dampening mechanisms, of a series of interior hollow form-supporting devices and a series of exterior tubular lithographic-printing forms, carriedby and removable from and replaceable on the form-supporting devices, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In alithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device and a removable and replaceable tubular composite lithographic-printingform, the printing-form havingasurface of suitable lithographic material and an inner strengthening-shell, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In a lithographic press the combination of a form-supporting device and a removable and replaceable tubular lithographic-printing form, the printing-form having an outer rounded surface of suitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. In a lithographic press, the combination of an interior form-supporting device removable from and replaceable in the press and an exterior tubular lithographic-printing form removable from and replaceable on the supporting device, the printing-form having an outer rounded surface ofsuitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14:. In alithographic-printingpress,the combination with a suitable impression surface or surfaces of aseries ofform-supporting devices removable from and replaceable in the press and a series of tubular lithographic-printing forms removable from and replaceable on the supporting devices, the printing-forms having an outer rounded surface of suitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

15. In a lithographic-printin g press,the combination with asuitable impression-drum of a series of form-supporting devices removable from and replaceable in the press and a series of tubular lithographic-printing forms removable from and. replaceable on the supporting devices, the printing-forms having an outer cylindrical surface of suitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. In a lithographic press the combination of a form-supporting device and a removable and replaceable tubular lithographic-printing form, the printing-form having an outer rounded surface of suitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken, and releasable means for accurately fixing the position of the printing-form on the supporting device and holding it in such position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. In a lithographic press the combination of an interior form-supporting device and an exterior removable and replaceable tubular lithographic-printing form, the printing-form having an outer rounded surface of suitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken, the printing-form and the supporting device being connected by means of a groove in the one and a projection on the other sliding in said groove, and a releasable fastening device to secure the printing-form on the supporting device, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

18. The combination With a supporting device consisting of a main portion and two heads, adapted to be mounted in apress, and having a shoulder or stop, a groove or grooves in the main portion and a clamping device, of a tubular lithographic-printing form adapted to fit the supporting device and having an outer cylindrical surface of suitable lithographic material,the printing-form being provided with a projecting portionor portions to slide in the groove or grooves, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

19. The combination of a form-supporting device and a removable and replaceable printing-form, the two being connected by means of a groove and a projection sliding in the groove, a stop on the supporting device and also a clamping device consisting of the bolt Z, the clamp 70, the pin m, the hole at, and the spring 0, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

20. In a lithographic press the combination of a form-supporting device and a removable and replaceable tubular composite lithographic-printing form, the printing-form having an outer rounded surface of suitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken and an inner sti'engtheningshell, sub stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

21. In a lithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device removable from and replaceable in the press, and a tubular composite lithographic-printin g form remov able from and replaceable on the supporting device, the printing-form having an outer rounded surface of suitable lithographic material that is continuous or unbroken and an inner strengthening-shell, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

22. The combination of an interior for1nsupporting device and an exterior removable and replaceable tubular lithographic-printin g form, the printing-form having a rounded surface of cast material, the surface being continuous or unbroken and rendered suitable for printing by the lithographic process; substantially as and for the purposes set forth,

23. A tubular lithographic-printing form having a rounded surface of cast material, the surface being continuous or unbroken, the cast material being compressed and rendered suitable for printing by the lithographic process, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

24. A tubular lithographic-printing form having a rounded surface of compressed metal, the surface being continuous or unbroken and rendered suitable for printing by the lithographic process, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

25. In a press, the combination of a formsupporting device, and a removable and replaceable lithographic printing form, the printing-form being of a shape and of dimensions permanently fixed so as to permanently adapt the form to the cooperating parts of the press.

26. In a press, the combination with a suitable impression-surface and suitable inking and dampening devices, of a form-supporting device and a removable and replaceable lithographic-printing form, the printing-form being of a shape and of dimensions permanently fixed so as to permanently adapt the form to the cooperating parts of the press.

27. In a press, the combination with a suitable impression surface orsurfaces and a series of suitable inking and dampening devices, of a series of interior form-supporting devices and aseries of exterior removable and replaceable lithographic-printing forms, the printing-forms being of a shape and of dimensions permanently fixed so as to permanently adapt the forms to the cooperating parts of the press.

28. In a lithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of inflexible removable and replaceable hollow printing-forms,each of exactly the same shape .and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outer lithographic surface.

29. In alithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replaceable tubular printingforms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as anyone of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outer lithographic surface.

30. In a lithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replaceable tubular printingforms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as anyone of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outer lithographic surface that is continuous or unbroken.

31. In a lithographic transfer-press,the combination with a suitable surface to support and transfer a drawing or design after the lithographic manner, of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of inflexible removable and replaceable hollow printing-forms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outerlithographic surface.

32. Inalithographic transfer-press,the combination with a suitable surface to support and'transfcr a drawing or design after the lithographic manner, of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replace able tubular printing-forms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outer lithographic surface.

33. In alithographic transfer-press,thecombination with a suitable surface to support and transfer a drawing or design after the lithographic manner, of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replaceable tubular printing-forms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outer lithographic surface that is continuous or unbroken.

34. In a lithographic press, the combination of an interior hollow form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of inflexible exterior removable and replaceable hollow printing-forms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outer lithographic surface.

35. In a lithographic transfer-press,the combination with a suitable surface to support and transfer a drawing or design after the lithographic manner, of an interior hollow 9o form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of inflexible exterior removable and replaceable hollow printing-forms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an outer lithographic surface.

36. In a lithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replaceable composite tubular printing-forms,each of exactlythe same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in no the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an innerstrengthening-shell and an outer lithographic surface.

37. In alithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replaceable composite tubular printing-forms,each of exactly the same shape I20 and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the 125 cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an inner strengthening-shell and an outer lithographic surface thatis continuous or unbroken.

38. Inalithographic transfer-press,the com- 1 0 bination with a suitable surface to support and transfer a drawing or design after the lithographic manner, of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replace able composite tubular printing-forms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts'of the press, and each printing-form having an inner strengthening-shell and an outer lithographic surface.

39. In a lithographic transfer-press,the combination with a suitable surface to support and transfer a drawing or design after the lithographic manner, of a form-supporting device adapted to be placed in position in a press and a series of removable and replaceable composite tubular printing-forms, each of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to occupy, when placed upon the supporting device, exactly the same position and space in the press as any one of the others when thus placed, so as to adapt all of the forms to the cooperating parts of the press, and each printing-form having an inner strengthening-shell and an outer lithographic surface that is continuous or unbroken.

40, In a lithographic-printing press, the combination with suitable impression surface or surfaces and a series of suitable inking mechanisms, of a series of form-supporting devices, each form-supporting device of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to be interchangeable one with another, and a series of inflexible removable and replaceable hollow printing-forms, each being of the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to be interchangeable one with another, so that each, when placed upon a supporting device, will occupy exactly the same position and space in the press as any of the others would occupy if placed upon the said supporting device, and each printingform being constructed with suitable lithographic surfaces to which a series of registering designs have been transferred in the lithographic manner.

41. In a lithographic-printing press, the combination with suitable impression surface or surfaces and a series of suitable inking mechanisms, of a series of form-supporting devices, each form-supporting device of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to be interchangeable one with another, and a series of removable and replaceable tubular printing-forms, each being of the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to be interchangeable one with another, so that each, when placed upon a supporting device, will occupy exactly the same position and space in the press as any of the others would occupy if placed upon the said supporting device, and each printingform being constructed with suitable lithographic surfaces to which a series of registering designs have been transferred in the lithe graphic manner.

42. In a lithographic-printing press, the combination with suitable impression surface or surfaces and a series of suitable inking mechanisms, of a series of form-supporting devices, each form-supporting device of exactly the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to be interchangeable one with another, and a series of removable and replaceable tubular printing-forms, each being of the same shape and dimensions as the others and so as to be interchangeable one with another, so that each when placed upon a supporting device, will occupy exactly the same position and space in the press as any of the others would occupy if placed upon the said supporting device, and each printing form being constructed with suitable lithographic surfaces which are continuous or unbroken to which a series of registering designs have been transferred in the lith0- graphic manner.

43. In a lithographic press, the combination of a form-supporting device, a removable and replaceable hollow lithographic-printin g form having an outer surface adapted to receive a lithographic drawing or transfer, and guiding means for regulating the position of the form upon the support both circumferentially and longitudinally.

44. In a lithographic press, the combination of an interior form-supporting device, an exterior removable and replaceable cylindrical lithographic printing form, and guiding means with reference to which the position of the form upon the support is fixed both circumferentially and longitudinally.

45. In a lithographic press, the combination with suitable impression mechanism, of a series of form-supporting devices, a series of tubular lithographic-printing forms carried by and removable and replaceable on the supports, and guiding means with reference to which the position of the forms, when placed upon the supports, is fixed with relation to each other both circumferentially and longi= tudinally.

46. In a lithographic-printing press, the combination with an impression-drum, and suitable inking and damping mechanisms, of a series of interior form-supporting devices, a series of exterior tubular lithographic-printing forms carried by and removable from and replaceable on the supports, and guiding means with reference to which the position of the forms, when placed in the press, is fixed with relation to the supports and with relation to each other both circumferentially and longitudinally.

47. In a lithographic printing press, the combination with a suitable impression mechanism and a series of suitable inking mechanisms, of a series of form-supports of predetermined dimensions, a series of removable and replaceable lithographic-printing forms of predetermined size, and guiding means with reference to which the position of the forms, when placed in the press, is fixed with and guiding means with reference to which IO the position of the forms, when placed in the press, is fixed with relation to each other both circumferentially and longitudinally.

EDWARD HETT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. CAMERON, NICHOLAS M. GooDLET, Jr. 

